Backpack is a site that allows you to quickly make pages with to-do lists, notes, files, and images. It also features a Calendar and Reminders that can be sent via email or to your cell phone at predefined times.

Their suggested uses include: keep track of things to do and places to see on your next vacation, plan a home improvement project, organize a wedding, keep track of houses you’re considering buying or gather information for a research project.

The NY Times had an editorial today pointing out a few of the environmental problems livestock pose. The two major issues:

-Global livestock grazing and feed production use “30 percent of the land surface of the planet.”
-livestock are responsible for about 18 percent of the global warming effect, more than transportations contribution.

The article states “the human passion for meat is certainly not about to end anytime soon,” but hopefully we are able to cut into that addiction.

James McAdam came up with this concept based on the report that 50% of people in London sleep with some form of self-defense nearby. Any intruder seeing someone with a club and shield would likely either ran scared or laugh at the sight giving the homeowner time to act. If I didn’t have so much crap on my bedside table, this might have a chance of replacing the machete I keep under the bed.

“How does PhotoBlocker Spray work?
A majority of red light & speed cameras utilize a strong flash to photograph the license plate on your car. Once sprayed on your license plate, PhotoBlockers special formula produces a high-powered gloss that reflects the flash back towards the camera. This overexposes the image of your license plate, rendering the picture unreadable. With PhotoBlocker, your license plate is invisible to traffic cameras yet completely legible to the naked eye.”

They claim it’s 100% legal, but if it is, it likely won’t stay that way for long.

Picked up a ‘kwik build’ gingerbread house kit for $8.88 at Sam’s Club. Put it together in a home that was ravaged by hurricane andrew. After many attempts to support the roof with tree cookies, we thought our masterpiece was complete. Then while giving a tour, we noticed a wall was toppled over, surely crushing anyone still inside.

Volume 1 Issue 1 has photos, artwork and a few stories. The spine says October 2006, but it seems to be the most recent issue. It’s largely south florida artists, but the reader submissions include folks from the UK, California, Canada and New Hampshire.

Coincidently it includes the Shepard Fairey print “Nouveau Black” which was recently ‘exposed’ as borrowing from an 1899 work.

How often do you actually check your smoke detector batteries? Never? Well worry not as this puppy needs none. Simply screw it into any light socket and it self-charges. An added bonus, you can silence it by flipping the light switch, which I hope doesn’t mean the lights have to be on for it to work.

It’s a ionization type detector and apparently there’s two types, here’s what the dupont site taught me:

-Ionization type smoke alarms are more effective at detecting smoke from fast, flaming fires which consume combustible material rapidly and spread quickly.
-Photoelectric-type smoke alarms are more effective at detecting smoke from slow, smoldering fires that typically develop over a long period of time, producing smoke with little heat before bursting into flames.

For added protection install both types of smoke alarms in your home.”

ESPN.com has a great comparison of the careers of two future hall-of-famers, from their high school days through last year’s Heat championship. Their game later today shouldn’t mean much compared to what they’ve played for/coached up til now, but as the two best coaches of their era go to battle once again, you know it will mean everything.

The motorcycle was going over 100 mph when it hit the sedan which was pulling onto the roadway. Sadly the driver of the car died (despite a doctor on scene) and the motorcyclist somehow lived. An interesting lesson in physics.